Like many parents, Palo Alto and I faced the summer with angst. The age-old question of what to do with the children during summer vacation came up, and just like last year we were back to the empty calendar before us and a list of summer camps to seriously consider.

One that rose to the top of the list was neighborhood Track & Field. It met all 3 of our requirements:

Close in proximity to our home (practices that is; meets totally different)

Reasonably priced (per class cost was alone reason to do it)

And it would do the work of tiring them out that would not include either adult having to breathe heavily or break a sweat.

To boot, our kids were interested (that always makes it a lot easier when you don’t have to drag them kicking and screaming).

We’re very fortunate in that the coaches for our Track & Field team are trained professionals, truly dedicated to sharing the sport with our children and helping them identify with the athlete in all of them.

My girls love it. They’re starting to learn some of the techniques involved with the various sports and have already found those that they know they’re good at (long jump, 100 meter, 200 meter).

When I say that we picked a camp that would exhaust them, I’m not lying. They have practices 3X a week at 6PM — which in Texas time that’s hot-as-hell-hour; and most weekends, for the length of the camp (6 weeks), they have a meet that are typically on Saturday.

We’ve gone to 2 meets so far. Last weekend the two youngest and I headed off to a meet in Lockhart, TX. Except for the unbelievable heat, the long, tireless wait, the disorganized events, my locking my keys in the car, and then having to get my car jumpstarted, we had a great time.

Did I mention the tireless wait? Lord help me, it was excruciating. The organizers were just ill-prepared and it showed. Here’s a picture of kids lined up in their heats, and waiting…

Image rights - allthingsana.wordpress.com

Here they are waiting again…

Image rights - allthingsana.wordpress.com

And these are the coaches waiting … (this wait was ugly, with tears and raised voices, and I’m not talking about the kids)…

Image rights - allthingsana.wordpress.com

This little one was onto something. She just plopped down on the track! Waiting…

Image rights - allthingsana.wordpress.com

But then there are moments like these, and I’m reminded of why I signed my girls up for this.

Look at her fly!

Image rights - allthingsana.wordpress.com

And this. Here’s our awesome coach leading his athletes to their next event.